NSW Cricket's rallying cry backfires as David Warner push faces fan backlash

A late push to have Australia's one-day domestic cricket competition named after David Warner appears set to fail as a result of fan blowback. Cricket Australia this month launched an online campaign – titled Name the Cup - asking fans to vote for the player they'd most like to see honoured on the trophy. And Yahoo Sport Australia has been told Warner was one of the leading candidates.

The competition has previously been named after myriad sponsors over its 55-year history. In outlining the voting process, CA said: "The key criteria for bestowing the honour include an outstanding record in the men's domestic one-day competition, Australia representation in the 50-over arena and deeds – both individual records and innovative approach – that are synonymous with the game's inaugural short-format.

"Naming the one-day domestic trophy after one of our greats is another opportunity for Australian cricket to honour the legacy of our past cricketers while further strengthening the connection between past and present players.

"With so many legends of one-day cricket, we know that whoever the trophy is named after in perpetuity will be thoroughly deserving of the honour." The fans' vote will be taken into consideration, along with the views of state and territory associations, grassroots clubs and players.

Matthew Hayden, Michael Bevan, Dean Jones, the Waugh brothers, Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting and Darren Lehmann are among the leading candidates, but Warner is also in the mix. The aggressive left-hand scored almost 7000 ODI runs, was a prolific run-scorer for the Blues and a definite game changer at the top of the order.

Cricket NSW attempt to rally votes for David Warner

Cricket NSW this week posted a call to arms for fans to get behind Warner before voting closes. A spokesperson told Yahoo Sport Australia: "Obviously NSW has produced some of our greatest ever one-day players and any number of former Blues would be worthy of this honour.

"Michael Bevan, the Waugh brothers and David Warner, to name just a few. That’s not to say that if the trophy was named after a player from another state that they wouldn’t be worthy."

In its online push for fans to vote for Warner, the Blues asked: "Could Davey Warner be honoured by the men’s domestic One-Day Cup trophy?" "How good would it be if that name was a NSW great? The Michael Bevan Trophy. The Mark Waugh Trophy? Steve Waugh Trophy? What about the David Warner Trophy?"

But it appears fan sentiment is against the polarising Warner, with the split said to be 30-70 against him winning the supporters' vote. One supporter wrote on the Cricket NSW Facebook page: "No F***ing way …. Much more deserving players !!!"

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Another countered: "Warner was a gun plain and simple. He could mix it with any era and opening is the toughest gig of all. He deserves to be in contention and the conversation."

Fans can be part of the process through CA's social channels, polls on cricket.com.au and the CA Live app, or by emailing onedaycup@cricket.com.au. A shortlist of contenders will be announced on Sunday, with the chosen name to be revealed ahead of the one-day final on March 1.